Machine for attaching handles to cartons



Jan. 20, 1959' w. M. WATSON MACHINE FOR ATTACHING HANDLES TO CARTONS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. WILLIAM M. WATSON A TTORNEYS Jan. 20, 1959 w. M. WATSON 2,869,433

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING HANDLES TO CARTONS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet? INVENTOR. WILLIAM M. WATSON B y @iw A T'TORNE VS Jan. 20, 1959 w. M. WATSON 2,859,438

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING HANDLES TO CARTONS 'Filed Sept. 20. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. WILLIAM M.WATSON A T TORNEVS Jan. 20, 1959 w. M. WATSON v MACHINE FOR ATTACHING HANDLES TO CARTONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 20. 1954 INVENTOR. WlLLlAM M. WATSON ,4 rrok/vsys Jan. 20, 1959 w. M. WATSON 2,869,438

MACHINE FOR ATTACHING HANDLES .TO CARTONS Filed-SepL 20. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGJIS INVENTOR. WILLIAM M. WATSON ATTORNEYS MACHINE FOR ATTACHING HANDLES T CARTONS William M. Watson, Portland, 0reg., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Paper Strap, Inc., Portland, 0reg., a corporation of Oregon Application September 20, 1954, Serial No. 457,236

Claims. (Cl. 93-36) The present invention relates to a machine for attaching strap handles onto containers and, while not limited thereto, to a machine particularly adapted for adhesively securing handles formed of paper strap onto flatly collapsed cartons formed of corrugated cardboard.

Patent No. 2,682,990, issued July 6, 1954, to Jay D. Crary, relates to cartons formed of corrugated cardboard or similar material provided with a strap handle extending loosely over an end wall of the carton and adhesively secured between opposite end flaps hinged to the end wall and overfolded side panels of the carton. It is a general object of the present invention to provide a machine for attaching handles onto blanks from which such cartons are erected.

Another object is to provide a machine for appliquing straps upon a surface of a flattened container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described for attaching strap handles onto the carton blanks in such fashion that slack will be provided in the intermediate portion of the handle in the erected cartons so as to facilitate grasping of the handle when the carton is carried.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved arrangement for feeding measured lengths of paper strap from a supply of the same.

Another object is to provide new and improved means for applying a coating of adhesive to the opposite end portions of the length of strap to be applied to a carton.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for crushing the carton walls beneath the strap handle so that the bulk of the strap will not interfere with stacking a plurality of the carton blanks one upon another.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, flatly collapsed tubular carton blanks are fed one at a time through the machine while measured lengths of strap are drawn from a supply of the strap and fed toward the blank. Means are provided for applying a coating of adhesive to the opposite end portions of one face of the strap and further means are provided to form a crimp or pucker in the intermediate portion of the strap whereafter the strap is rolled onto the blank as it passes through the machine without removing the pucker. Further means are provided to press the strap against the Carton surface to assure a good adhesive bond thereto and to cause the pucker formed in the strap to plait relatively flatly against the carton blank.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an erected, partially closed carton showing the handle attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carton blank showing the handle as it is attached thereto by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional, view of several stacked carton blanks showing details ofthe blanks and of tlte straps which may beutilized for .the: handle;,

2,369,438 Patented Jan. 20, 1959 Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine constructed in accordance with the invention, a portion of the frame of the machine being broken away to illustrate details thereof;

Fig. 5 is a top sectional view of the machine taken generally along line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the machine looking at the side opposite of that shown in Fig. 4;

Fig.7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of Fig.

'5 showing certain details of the hopper for storing a supply of carton blanks;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing the mechanism for appliquing or rolling the strap onto the carton blank and means for applying glue to the strap;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the position of the mechanism in another sequence of operation;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view or" the apparatus shown in Figs. 8 and 9 showing still another sequence in the operation of the machine;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 1111 of Fig. 8 showing details of the wheel by means of which the strap is rolled onto the carton blank;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 1212 of Fig. 11 showing further details of the machine;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism for drawing measured lengths of strap from a supply and severing the same from a continuous length of strap;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 showing a further position of the mechanism in the course of the operation of the machine;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 15-15 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram of the control circuit for the strap feeding mechanism.

The patent to Jay D. Crary, 2,682,990, mentioned above, relates to a handled carton 10 such as shown in Fig. 1, and a flatly collapsed, tubular carton blank such as shown in Fig. 2 from which the carton 10 is erected. In accordance with the invention of that patent, a strap handle 11 is secured to the blank with the intermediate portion of the handle extending loosely across an end wall 12 of the blank and with the opposite end portions of the handle attached as by gluing to end flaps 14 hinged to opposite edges of the end wall 12 as shown in Fig. 2. As indicated in Fig. 1, in the erected carton the end flaps 14 are folded downwardly from the end wall 12 which forms the top wall of the finished carton, and the side panels 15 of the carton blank are thereafter folded and adhesively secured to the end flaps 14 and the end portions of the strap handle 11 so that the handle end portions are glued to both the end 14 and the side panels whereby it is virtually imposible for the handle,

in Fig. 2 and comprises a suitable frame structure including a horizontal feed bed or table 16 upon which the carton blanks are fed flatwise through the machine. EX- tending above the table 16 is a boxlike supporting structure for certain of the mechanism of the machine, the structure including a platelike standard 17 adjacent what, for convenience, will be termed the rear side of the machine, and a vertical frame plate 18 supported from they standard 17 in spaced relation over the table 16 by means of I-beams 19 so that the carton blanks may be advanced alongthe table 16 beneath the frame plate 18.

A flight bar feed mechanism is provided to draw the carton blanks one at a time from the supply hopper 22 and advance the blanks through the strap attaching mechanism. As most clearly shown in Fig. the flight bar mechanism comprises a plurality of evenly spaced apart flight bars 24 mounted on chains 25, the chains being trained over suitable sprockets mounted on shafts 26, 27 suitably journaled in the frame beneath the table 16. The shaft 27 is driven from a motor 28 by means of belts 20, 21. It will be noted from Fig. 5 that the flight bars 24 are not continuous but each comprises two longitudinally aligned sections spaced apart a slight distance, the reason for which will become more evident hereinafter.

The hopper 22 in which the supply of carton blanks is stacked comprises a pair of perpendicular side panels 39 which are adjustably mounted on a supporting bar 29 extending transversely of the machine above the table 16 so that the panels may be adjusted for carton blanks of various sizes and also so as to position the blank in correct alignment with the strap applying mechanism. The hopper is provided with a conventional front gate 31 (Fig. 7) which will permit the lowermost carton blank of the stack to be advanced by the flight bars while retaining the other blanks of the stack within the hopper. Mounted immediately in front of the front gate 31 is a switch 32 having a tripping lever 33 adapted to be depressed by a carton as it advances from beneath the gate. Preferably the switch is positioned between the sections of the flight bars 24 as shown so that it will be depressed only by an advancing carton blank. This switch is for the purpose of controlling the strap feeding mechanism which will now be described.

While the paper strap for forming the handles 11 may be preformed on other mechanism and supplied in rolls, the strap may conveniently be formed on the machine during its operation from a continuous web of paper. A roll of such a paper web is indicated at 36. roll 36 the web 37 is passed through a strap forming mechanism indicated generally at 38. Such mechanism forms no part of the present invention and detailed description thereof will, therefore, be omitted.

With particular reference to Figs. 13l5, the formed paper strap indicated at 39 passes between a pair of feed rolls 41, 42 mounted on the frame plate 18. The feed rolls 41, 42 are geared together by integral gears 43, 44 so as to convolve, the lowermost roll 41 being mounted on driven shaft 45 suitably journaled through the plate 18. The drive connections to the shaft 45 will be described hereinafter. Means are provided whereby the upper feed roll 42 may be moved toward or away from the lower roll 41 so as to engage or release, respectively to feed or cease feeding, the strap 39. As shown in Fig. 15, the feed roll 42 and its integral gear 43 are mounted on an axle spindle 48 which extends in off-center relation from a shaft 49 journalcd in bearings 50 provided on the frame plate 18. By reason of the eccentric mounting of the feed roll 42 with respect to the axis of the shaft 49 as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, rotation of the shaft 49 about its axis will cause movement of the roll 42 toward or away from the roll 41. Suitable motor means is provided for effecting such movement of the feed roll and, in the present instance, comprises a solenoid 51, the actuation of which is controlled by the switch 32. The armature 52 of the solenoid is attached to a bar 53 pivoted on the frame plate 18 at 54. Extending between the free end of the bar 53 and the axle spindle 48 is a lever 55. A spring 56 is connected between the bar 53 and the frame plate 18 for drawing the bar upwardly and for holding the solenoid armature 52 normally outwardly of thesolenoid aperture. Upon actuation of the solenoid, the armature is adapted to be drawn inwardly causing the bar 53 to pivot about its axis 54 and causing the lever 55 to move the axle spindle 48 whereby the shaft 49 will rotate to move t feed r011, 42 a ay from he eed. H2 elieving the From the pressure of the rolls on the strap 39 whereby feeding of the same will cease.

With reference to Fig. 16 the solenoid winding 51 is connected through the normally open switch 32 to a suitable source of power indicated by the leads 57, 58 in series with the machine master switch indicated at 59. Since switch 32 is normally closed, closing of the master switch 59 will actuate solenoid 51 causing roll 42 to be moved away from roll 41 whereby the strap 39 will lie loosely between the rolls. However, each time a carton blank passes beneath the switch 32, the same Will open whereby the spring 56 will draw the bar 53 upwardly causing the rolls 41, 42 to come together and grip the a strap 39 to feed the same.

From the feed rolls 41, 42, the strap 39 passes down along an angularly disposed supporting plate 60 positioned beneath the bar 53 as shown most clearly in Figs. 13 and 14. The bar 53 carries a shear knife 61 that is adapted to engage the strap and. cut the same whenever the solenoidSl is actuated to draw the bar toward the plate 60. From the plate 60 the strap passes between .a pair of forwarding rolls 63, 6.4 as shown in Fig. 4 and which are geared together as indicated at 65 and are adapted to engage the strap 39 or severed lengths 11 therefrom, and forward the same to the means by which the strap is appliqued upon the carton. The roll 63 is mounted on a driven shaft 62.

The drive arrangement for the feed rolls 41, 42 and forwarding rolls 63, 64 will now be described with particular reference to Fig. .6. The shaft 27 is connected by means of a chain 66 and suitable sprockets to a shaft 67 suitably journaled through the standard 17 and frame plate 18 and upon which shaft is mounted a spur gear 68. Through an idler gear 70 the spur gear 68 drives a gear 69 connected to drive the shaft 62 through an overrunning clutch indicated at 76. Also driven by the spur gear 68 is a shaft 71 supported by the standard 17 and frame plate 18, which shaft carries a gear 72 meshing with the gear 68. Th shaft 71 is connected to drive the feed roll drive shaft 45 by means of a chain 73 and suitable sprockets on the respective shafts. The drive arrangement is such that the peripheral speed of the feed rolls 41, 42 and the forwarding rolls 63, 64 is equal to the speed of the flight bars 24.

Means are provided for appliquing the strap upon the carton blank comprising an appliquing or suction wheel 74 mounted on the shaft 71. The wheel 74 rolls at the same peripheral speed as the speed of the flight bars 24 along the table 16 and is adapted to roll in contact with the carton blanks as they are carried beneath the roll by the flight bars. As shown most clearly in Fig. 11, the wheel 74 is formed with a plurality of evenly spaced apertures 77 in its periphery which communicate with passages 78 extending through the wheel and opening through one side thereof. Abutting against the side of the Wheel through which the passages open is an arcuate shaped casing or chamber 79 which defines with the wheel 74 a suction chamber. The chamber 79 is arranged so that the passages 78 are in communication with the same from the point on the wheel at which the strap is fed thereto to the point of contact of the wheel with the carton blank. The suction chamber 79 is connected to a vacuum pump. 82 (Fig. 4) by means of a conduit 83, a motor 84 being provided to drive the, pump. By reference to Figs. 8, 9, and 10, it will be noted that the strap is held against the surface of the wheel74 from the point where the strap first contacts the wheel, which may be deemed a pick up point, to the point where the strap is rolled into contact with the surface of the carton blank whereafter the suction through an aperture is broken by reason of the opening thereof moving out of communication with the suction chamber- 79 so that the strap is released from the wheel and remains flat upon the carton blank. The wheel 74 preferably is of a width just slightly greater than the width of the strap, 39. 7

To press. the Strap into engagement with the suction wheel 74 at the pick up point, a pressure wheel 86 is provided, the wheel 86 being mounted upon the shaft 67 and driven convolvingly with the suction wheel 74.

In some instances it is desirable that the intermediate portion of the strap be crimped or puckered to provide extra slack to facilitate grasping of the handle to carry the erected carton. Thus means are provided whereby the strap may be attached with extra length in the intermediate portion, which means in the present instance comprises a semicircular recess 88 formed in the periphery of the appliquing roll 74. The feed arrangement of the machine is adjusted so that the length of the strap fed onto the suction wheel 74 will be carried therearound with the medial portion of the strap abreast the recess 88. The pressure wheel 86 has mounted thereon a finger 89 which is adapted to roll into the recess 88 as the wheels revolve, causing, as shown in Fig. 8, the strap to be depressed into the recess. The overrunning clutch 76 permits the rolls 63, 64 to overrun as the pucker is formed and the strap drawn at slightly greater than normal speed therebetween. Preferably the finger 89 is removably secured to the pressure wheel 86 by suitable means such as bolts indicated at 87 whereby the finger may be removed on those occasions when it is not necessary or desired to apply the strap with the extra length provided therein. As indicated in Fig. 9, the tuck or pucker formed in the strap by reason of its depression into the recess 88 will remain therein even after the finger 89 revolves out of the recess because of the snug engagement of the strap against the wheel periphery on each of the opposite sides of the recess.

Means is provided for applying a coating of paste or adhesive to the opposite end portions of the face of the strap which is exposed as the same revolves with the wheel 74. Pivotally mounted by suitable means on the frame plate 18 by the pressure wheel 86 and adjacent the appliquing wheel 74 is a paste pot or receptacle 90 in which is mounted a paste roller 91. The roller 91 is driven from the shaft 67 by means of a sprocket chain 92 so that it will revolve at the same peripheral speed as the appliquing wheel 74. The paste pot 90 is mounted so that it may be swung to bring the roller 91 into contact with the face of a strap, as shown in Fig. 9, or may be swung to move the paste roller away and out of contact from the strap, as shown in Fig. 8. A spring 93 is provided secured at one end to the paste receptacle 90 and at its other end to the frame of the machine to bias the receptacle and paste roller away from the appliquing wheel 74. Cam means is provided for pivoting the receptacle toward the appliquing wheel 74 to bring the roller in contact with the strap and which means comprises a wheel 95 mounted on a shaft 96 supported by the standard 17 and frame plate 18 and driven from the gear 68 by means of a gear 97, the drive arrangement being most clearly shown in Fig. 6. The cam wheel 95 carries apair of adjustably mounted cam elements 98, 99 which are adapted to engage and depress a cam lever 100 pivotally mounted on the frame plate 18 by a pin 102 and connected to the paste pot 90 by means of a spring shackle 103. Depression of the cam lever 100 causes the paste pot to be moved against the bias of the spring 93 to bring the paste roller 91 into engagement with the strap on the appliquing wheel 74. The position of the cam elements 98, 99 is adjusted on the wheel 95 so that the cams will act in timed relation with the feeding of the strap to apply a coating of adhesive, indicated at 104, to the exposed face of the strap at each of the oppositeend portions thereof. Preferably the roller 91 isi'of a width slightly less than the Width of the strap 39so that the adhesive coating 104 does not extend to the. opposite edges of the strap. This will prevent the glue from spreading onto the carton wall beside the strap and eliminate the possibility of stacked cartons being glued to one another. As shown in Fig. 4, a reservoir 105 of paste may be mounted on the upper part .of the 6 machine for supplying paste'to the paste pot through a tube 106. Preferably the strap 39 is fed with the folds 13 facing outwardly of the wheel 74 so that the folds will be glued to the carton end flaps 14 to prevent their unfolding. v

Mounted beneath the appliquing roll 74 is a compression roller 109 of a width several times that of the roll 74. The roller 109 is secured to a shaft 110 which also carries a gear 111 (Fig. 6) which meshes with the gear 72 to drive the roller 109 convolvingly with the appliquing wheel 74 and at the same peripheral speed. The roll 109 is mounted beneath the plane of the table 16 and projects through an opening 112 provided therein. Preferably, in the case of cartons formed of corrugated board, the compression roller 109 and the appliquing wheel 74 are spaced so that the distance between them or the nip between the rolls is less than the combined thickness of the carton blank and the strap handle 11, whereby the carton wall to which the strap 11 is secured will be crushed or depressed by the appliquing wheel 74 immediately beneath the strap, as best indicated in Fig. 3 at 113, so that the strap projects only a slight distance, if at all, above the flat surface of the carton. This facilitates stacking of a number of handled blanks one upon the other since the presence of the strap will not cause the pile to build unevenly as would result if the surface of the carton remained fiat and the strap projected above the surface.

Means are provided for pressing the strap against the surface of the carton and for causing the pucker in the strap formed in its passage around the appliquing roll to plait or tuck. Mounted on the frame plate 18 in alignment with the movement of the strap from the appliquing roll 74 is a compression roller 114 supported on an arm 115 pivoted on the frame plate 18. A spring 116 is provided to bias the arm and roller downwardly towards the table 16 whereby the strap is pressed against the surface of the carton as it is carried therebeneath, and the pucker in the strap is caused to plait, as best shown in Fig. 10. After passing underthe compression roller 114, the cartons are carried between a pair of vertically disposed compression belts 118, 119 which are positioned with the upper run of the lower belt 118 and the lower run of the upper'belt 119 closely together so as to compress the strap and carton therebetween. The lower belt 118 is trained around a sheave (not shown) mounted on the shaft 27 and the upper belt is trained around a sheave 121 mounted on a shaft 122 which is driven from the shaft 27 by means of gears 123, 124. The upper run of the belt 118 is supported upon a plurality of small rollers 125 and the lower run of the upper belt 119 is held compressively against the belt 118 by means of resilient fingers 126. The compression belt section is of conventional construction and only a fragmentary portion has been shown in the drawings. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the compression belt may be of any suit able length and may carry the carton blanks to any suitable receiving table upon which they may be collected for bundling or other handling as desired.

In the operation of the machine, the side walls 22 of the hopper are adjusted to the desired transverse position on the machine so that the proper portion of the container will be in alignment with the appliquing wheel 74. As the flight bars 24 engage a container blank and advance the same along the table 16, the container blank trips the switch lever 33 thus opening switch, 32 and causing the circuit through the solenoid 51. to

open and the solenoid to deactivate. When the solenoid 51 is deactivated, the spring 56 draws the bar 53 upwardly, causing the feed roll 42 to move downward ly and toengage the strap 39 between it and the feed roll 41 whereby the web of paper 37 will be drawn through the strap former and the end of the strap will. be advanced from the cutting knife .61 downwardly along the supporting plate 60.;and. between the forward- 7 ing; rolls; 6.3, 6.4, When: he cartonz'blank: moves from beneath the switch 32, the. same will close, activating the; solenoid to draw the bar 53 downwardly, severing a. length or strap which is equal to the width, of. the carton that has traversed beneath the switch. The forwarding rolls continue. the movement. of the sheared piece of strap and pass the same between the appliqueingroll or Wheel 74 and the. pressure roller $5.6. The strap is gripped against the appliquing wheel 74 by reason of the vacuum drawn through the apertures 77, and rolls around the wheel during which time tl pucker is formed in the strap length 11 and a coating of paste 104 applied to the opposite end portions of the exposed face of the strap. The feeding of the strap length 11 is timed so that the leading end is rolled onto the carton blank 10 adjacent the leading edge thereof, the following portion of the strap simply rolling onto the blank as it advances beneath the appliquing wheel 74. The-cam elements 98, 99am adjusted so that they contact the cam lever 19.9 to hold the paste roller 91 against the strap 11 over the portions of the strap which will overlie the opposite end flaps 14 of the carton blank. The carton blank 10 is advanced from the appliquing wheel 74 beneath the compression roller '114 which forces the strap downwardly against the blank and also causes the pucker in the strap to, plait or tuck, as shown in Fig. 10. From the compression roller 114 the flight bars 24 push the blank into engagement between the conveyor belts 118, 119, between which they are advanced to continue the compression of the strap 11 against the blank for thepurpose of allowing the glue to set.

As mentioned earlier in this specification, the flight bars 24 are formed of longitudinally spaced apart sections, the spacing between the sections of the flight bar being provided to permit the flight bars to pass on the opposite sides of the switch 32 and the appliquing roller 74 and compression rollers 109 and 114.

It will be noted that the machine may be easily adjusted for applying handles to cartons of various sizes,

hence the position of the hopper side plates 22 may be easily adjusted relative to their transverse position on the machine so as to align the carton transversely relative to the appliquing means. Also, the strap feeding mechanism automatically adjusts itself with the carton advancing through the machine, and the other parts of the machine are also adapted to be adjusted as the requirements may vary.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1 In a machine for attachingstrap handles onto rectangularcarton blanks, means for feeding a carton blank through the machine at a predetermined speed with the leading edge of the ,blankextending at right angles to the direction of movement thereof, means for feeding strap comprising a pair of continuously. driven draw rolls revolving at a predetermined speed for drawing strap from a supply of the. same, means mounting one of said rolls for movement toward and away from the other whereby said one roll may be moved toward said other roll to engage said strap therebetween and cause the same to be withdrawn and said one roll may be moved away from said other roll to terminate withdrawal of said strap from the supply thereof, means normally biasing said one roll away from said other roll, motor means operatively connected to said one roll adapted upon actuation to move said one roll into pressurable engagement with said other roll, normally open switch means operatively arranged in the path of travel of said carton blank. and adapted to be closedxduring-the:traverseof said carton blank therepast,

and circuit means operatively connecting said switch means to saidmotor means for actuating the same during closure of said switch means whereby a length. of strap, dependent on the width of the blank will be drawn from said supply.

2; In a machine for attaching strap handles onto rec.- tangular carton blanks, means for feeding a carton blank through the machine with the leading edge of they blank extending at right angles to the direction of movement thereof, means for feeding handle strap comprising a pair of continuously driven draw rolls for drawing said strap from a supply of the same and having a peripheral speed substantially equal to the'speed at which said blank is fed through the machine, means mounting one of said rolls for movement toward and away from the other, whereby said one roll may be moved toward said other roll to engage said strap therebetweenand cause the same to be withdrawn and said one. roll may be moved awayfrom said other roll to terminate withdrawal of said strap from the supply thereof, means normally biasing said one roll away from said other roll, solenoid means operatively connected to said one roll and adapted upon actuation to move the same into pressurable engagement with said other roll, normally open switch means operatively arranged in the path of travel of said carton blank and adapted to be closed during the traverse of saidcarton blank therepast, and circuit means operatively connecting said switch means to said solenoid for actuatingsaid solenoid during closure of said switch means wherebya length of strap substantially equal to the width of said carton blank will be drawn from said supply.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding a rectangular container blank along a plane with an edge of the blank extending normal to the direction of movement, means for appliquing onto said blank in a direction parallel to said direction of movement a length of handle strap of predetermined length relative; to the width of the blank'as measured at right angles to'said edge, a pair of draw rolls adapted to engage paper strap between the nip thereof for drawing said strap from a supply of the same, means for driving said rolls at predetermined speed, means journaling one of said rollseccentrically on said machine, said one roll being adjustable about the. axis of said eccentric journal means to move the roll toward and away from the other of said rolls respectively to engage said strap to draw the same from said supply and to free the same whereby to cease drawing of the strap from said supply, sensing means in the path of travel of said blank for sensing said blank width, actuating means responsive to said sensing means. for causing movement of said one roll towards said other roll to feed said length of strap as said carton blank approaches said strap appliquing means, strap severing means responsive to said sensing means for severing said predetermined length from said. strap, and means. for forwarding said severed length to said strap appliquing means. r

4. In a machine for attaching a handle onto a: carton blank formed of corrugated cardboard, means for feeding said blank through said machine, means for feeding: a length of strap toward said carton blank, means for appliquing said strap upon said carton blank, and means for crushing said board immediately-beneath said; strap to reduce the thickness'of said board whereby the amount of the projection of said. strap above the carton; surface is minimized to facilitate stacking of the handled cartonblank with like handled blanks.

5. Ainachinefor securing a strap handle onto ai'flate tened tubular carton blank comprising two substantially;

engage said carton therebetween and to roll therewith,

means on one of said rollers for engaging alength of strap fed thereto and rolling the sameonto theadjace'nt- 9 surface of a blank, said rollers being spaced apart a distance less than twice the thickness of said board whereby said layers will be compressed along the line of said strap as said blank passes therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Ranney et a1 Nov. 9, 1943 Peterson et al Sept. 20, 1949 Crary July 6, 1954 Fischer et al. Ian. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 6, 1935 Great Britain Sept. 21, 1937 

